The Banner Saga 2 Walkthrough: Characters

The Banner Saga 2 is a sprawling, narrative-driven epic, and as such it has a lot of characters. Many of those characters can join your party. Below is a listing of the characters you can recruit during the game, what they can do, and, most importantly, how they can die.

Because The Banner Saga 2 is split into two parties for the duration of the game, this listing is similarly split between the primary caravan and the Ravens. Many of the 'optional' characters for the Ravens start off with the main caravan, but leave after Chapter Eight.

Arguably one of the best characters in the game, Rook is one of very few characters who can attack close up and at a range. Though perhaps not the best choice for a frontline fighter, since neither his Armor nor his Strength are spectacularly high, Rook's Mark Prey ability gives him a great reason to join melee combatants and order everyone to attack a single target simultaneously. Levelling Rook is highly recommended.

Rook's one of the stronger archers you'll get, so maxing out his Strength early is advisable. He's also better at breaking Armor than most archers, and pumping Break is equally advisable. If, on the flip side, you primarily use Rook for Mark Prey, you may want to opt for boosting his Willpower and giving him items to boost his movement range instead. Rook's ability to attack close up and at a range make him good regardless of your build, however.

It is not possible for Rook to die during The Banner Saga 2.

Alette

Recruited: Optional main character (new game) or must have survived The Banner Saga (imported save)

Puncture (unit gains additional damage for target's missing Armor, so long as the unit does not move before attacking)

Overwatch (rank 6, unit automatically attacks any moving enemies within her range until her next turn)

Mend (optional, restores an ally's Armor)

Not that great in The Banner Saga, Alette has gotten a nice boost in The Banner Saga 2. She starts off as more or less the same fragile back-liner, but her eventual access to the Overwatch ability turns her into an utter powerhouse, allowing Alette to peg anyone that gets too close to your party. Pair this with an item that causes knockback and she'll rob every melee fighter approaching her of their turn.

Like most archery characters, Alette thrives when she's not taking a beatdown from her foes. Boost her Strength to make the most of each shot, and pump up Willpower so she can maximize her damage each round. Keep her well behind your other units so melee attackers can't sneak in and put her down in a single hit. Items that reduce her aggro rate are highly, highly recommended, as Alette seems to become a high-priority target whenever anybody's in range.

Alette can opt to undergo Mender training via Eyvind during the course of the game. If you decide to do this she'll gain Eyvind's Mend ability, allowing Alette to function as a healer as well as an attacker.

Forge Ahead (rank 6, moves target ally to the next initiative spot) or Tempest (rank 6, strikes a number of adjacent targets, dependent on Willpower)

The one-armed giant is back for another round, and Iver is just as useful now as he was in The Banner Saga. Equally good at tanking and smashing foes, Iver is perhaps most useful for controlling the battlefield. Battering Ram is an amazing ability for lining up bad guys, and can allow Iver to push enemies into the range of other units. Plan Iver's movements and he'll prove to be one of your most valuable party members.

Whether you use Battering Ram or not, Iver's primary role in the party is that of a heavy hitter. Boost his Armor and Strength stats early so he can head straight to the front line, and outfit him with items that will allow him to smash through enemy defences. If Iver turns out to be your primary tank, give him an item that will both boost his aggro rating and his overall defences. Since Iver is generally a target for the enemy, I find Talents that increase defences to be of the most use.

It is not possible for Iver to die during The Banner Saga 2. He will, however, leave the party at the end of Chapter Twelve, and you may want to strip him of his item before he takes off.

Oddleif

Recruited: Chapter Eight

Class: Skystriker

Maximum Stats: 9 Armor, 9 Strength, 13 Willpower, 3 Exertion, 2 Armor

Abilities:

Rain of Arrows (target a square on the map; any unit crossing through that square is damaged and stopped)

Puncture (unit gains additional damage for target's missing Armor, so long as the unit does not move before attacking)

Slag and Burn (rank 6, creates five squares of ash and coals that damage any who cross) or Bird of Prey (rank 6, increases attack range, attack will always hit)

Rook's love interest to the point it almost hurts, Oddleif returns as a strong, fairly decent character in The Banner Saga 2. Strictly a ranged character, Oddleif is good at harming enemies from afar, but her most useful initial ability is Rain of Arrows, allowing the archer to stop any enemy she doesn't like pretty much dead in its tracks. Couple this with the overall usefulness of Puncture and Oddlefi's prominence in the story and you can expect to see her a lot.

Oddleif is as frail as they come, and you absolutely do not want her in the front lines. Emphasize stats that will allow her to move far and attack from a distance, long before any foes get close enough to smack her about. I found bumping her Strength and Willpower early quite useful. Items that increase Oddleif's range are great, but it's generally more important for her to avoid aggroing enemies, as Slingers and Archers will often go after her.

It is not possible for Oddleif to die during The Banner Saga 2.

Eyvind

Recruited: Chapter Eight

Class: Mender

Maximum Stats: 9 Armor, 9 Strength, 18 Willpower, 3 Exertion, 2 Break

Abilities:

Arc Lightning (inflicts Strength damage to a single target and any diagonally-adjacent units)

Mend (restores an ally's Armor)

Troll Stones (rank 6, create stones that inflict damage and serve as obstacles for one round)

Is he friend? Is he foe? Does he just have his own agenda? Whoooo knows. Nevertheless, Eyvind makes a return in The Banner Saga 2, and he remains a useful back-bencher to most of the action. Eyvind is a Mender, and Menders are magic-based units that both support their team and ravage their foes with spells. Eyvind's pretty solid at this, with a spectacularly high Willpower score and some awesome abilities. Mend is self-explanatory, and great for supporting tanks, while Arc Lightning is... situational, at best. Solid, but potentially dangerous, depending on how the battlefield is laid out. Use this ability with caution. If you decide to use Eyvind enough for a Promotion, Troll Stones becomes a nice method for blocking enemies.

Eyvind is perhaps the most frail unit in the game, and even with maxed Armor and Strength he's not even close to a front-line fighter. Keep him behind everyone, only pulling him forward if there are no more heavy melee units looking to jump him. Talents that keep Eyvind alive are highly recommended, particularly Defy. Items that draw aggro away from Eyvind are similarly wise.

It is not possible for Eyvind to die during The Banner Saga 2. He will, however, leave the party at the end of Chapter Twelve. Be sure to unequip him before then.

Aleo

Tale Worth Telling (adds one damage for every two Strength a target is above the buffed unit)

Skald's Song (grants +1 Willpower to all units if standing within one tile of a character delivering a killing blow)

Insult (rank 6, target moves to the end of the initiative queue)

The first fresh face to join your caravan in The Banner Saga 2, Aleo brings with him an interesting blend of melee fighter and support unit, unlike anything you've seen if you've played The Banner Saga. The skald is an all-around okay unit statistically, better suited to helping varl than fighting on his own, and he mainly stands out thanks to his unique abilities. Skald's Song is amazing for keeping your team's Willpower high, and Tale Worth Telling can be really, really useful against some of the tougher units in the game. Altogether, a pretty useful guy.

Aleo's stat caps are fairly evenly spread, so he can be just about anything you want him to be - though a highly-mobile support fighter seems to work best. Boost Aleo's Break to maximum so he can support high-Strength combatants, and provide him with extra mobility via items so he can rush out of the fray if he needs to escape quickly. Boosting his Willpower is wise, though at the same time Aleo's pretty good at rejuvenating that Willpower with Skald's Song. Stick him to a unit that kills often and your group will seldom run low on Willpower.

Forge Ahead (rank 6, moves target ally to the next initiative spot), or Tempest (rank 6, strikes a number of adjacent targets, dependent on Willpower)

One of the most casual kings ever to exist, Hakon is a welcome carry-over from The Banner Saga. As tough now as he was in the first game, the big varl focuses most of his efforts on ripping his way through enemy lines, making a name for himself as one of the heaviest hitters you'll get. Though good at Breaking enemy Armor, Hakon's better at sapping Strength with his hard smashes, particularly when you use Heavy Impact. A generally great unit, if occasionally a glass cannon.

Boosting Hakon's Strength is a given. Hakon is going to get mixed into enemy units often, so boosting his somewhat meagre Armor is also a good idea. Beyond that, it depends what you want to do with him - if you plan on busting Armor pump some points into Break, or, if you want to sap Strength alone, go for the Artery Strike Talent instead. Hakon's plenty strong on his own, so any items you strap on should probably go towards better protecting the varl. He tends to die a lot if you only focus on Strength and neglect his defences.

It is not possible for Hakon to die during The Banner Saga 2, but it is possible for him to leave your party right at the end. If Ludin made it all the way to Arberrang, Hakon will leave your party if you side with Rugga; conversely, if Ludin did not make it to Arberrang, Hakon will leave your party if you side with King Meinolf.

The bratty prince with maybe a heart of gold, Ludin is a surprising example of a privileged snob who can actually back up his words with his spear. As a combat unit Ludin is pretty awesome, capable of dishing out lots of punishment with his two-square range and good stat balance. He's not quite strong enough to stand on the front line alone, but stick Ludin with a few Armor-breaking varl and he proves a great backup unit.

As with other spearmen Ludin is not that great at breaking through Armor, nor should he. Focus on boosting Ludin's Strength via items and Promotion, and boost his Exertion to max so his Impale move achieves maximum effect. It's also not a bad idea to boost Ludin's movement score via items, as he'll (probably) often have to maneuver around your allies to get at enemies. This will also allow him to move out of problem areas if he's overwhelmed. Ludin is particularly good at targeting enemy Slingers, as Impale will cause them extra Bleed damage when their Flee ability kicks in, and the extra movement will give him the chance to swing around and target these vulnerable units.

During Chapter Ten Rugga offers to send his man, Dagr, off to fight the dredge from behind. Ludin will volunteer to back Dagr up. If Ludin goes he will die during the battle. Suspicious.

Yrsa

Recruited: Chapter Eight (new game) or must have survived The Banner Saga (imported save; if she wasn't in your party she'll arrive at the very end of Chapter Eight)

Slag and Burn (creates five squares of ash and coals that damage any who cross)

Puncture (unit gains additional damage for target's missing Armor, so long as the unit does not move before attacking)

Bird of Prey (rank 6, increases attack range, attack will always hit) or Rain of Arrows (rank 6, target a square on the map; any unit crossing through that square is damaged and stopped)

What... a strange lady. Enigmatic to the core, and seemingly capable of coming and going as she pleases, Yrsa is nevertheless a boon to your party. She swings a slightly different direction from the other archers you'll meet, with better defences and a relatively high Break stat but poor Strength. Her base Slag and Burn ability makes up for the poor attack, however, and you can use it to inflict decent amounts of damage on your foes, particularly if you have a few units with Battering Ram. Propel targets over the coals Yrsa lays down for lots of damage.

Yrsa's damage is poor, so pumping her Willpower and Exertion early will help. Her Break stat is also better than most archers get, allowing her to help soften targets in the beginning of a battle. Items that de-emphasize aggro or give her greater range / mobility help. If you want to make the most of Puncture, equip Yrsa with something to boost that mediocre Strength score.

Return the Favor (enemies take one Armor damage for attacking the unit at melee range)

Malice (rank 6, forces the target to attack the unit) or Battering Ram (rank 6, pushes an enemy back and inflicts Break damage)

Hakon's second-in-command and one of the more rational varl in the party, Mogr remains one of the staple tanks in your party. His awesome Armor score and his lower-but-still-pretty awesome Strength allows the varl to stand on the front lines without much fear, either smacking enemies around or absorbing hits for more vulnerable units. The combination of Bring the Pain and Return the Favor makes Mogr particularly deadly to high-Armor units that decide to take him on. Get a Mender beside Mogr and he can carry you through entire battles on his own, so long as you're careful.

Mogr can be a straightforward fighter if you wish, but his two starting abilities are such that you're better off increasing his defences first thing and then using Bring the Pain whenever you can. Mogr can do a real number on the Armor of his opponents this way. Malice will forcefully draw enemies in to attack Mogr, but I still suggest equipping him with something that will improve his Armor score and provide extra aggro. Mogr likes to be in the thick of crowds of enemy units, and that's typically where you should put him.

If you do not save the village of Ettingbekr during Chapter Twelve there will be an enormous forest fire. Tell the varl to lead the caravan away from the fire and Mogr will get killed as the giants panic and flee.

Don't have Ludin? Tryggvi's got you covered. Capable of doing basically everything Ludin can do, as well as adding a dash of weirdness, Tryggvi is a perfectly able replacement for the prince. Everything that applies to Ludin also applies to Tryggvi, and having both of them active at once is pretty far from a horrible idea.

During Chapter Ten you have the option to wade through a particularly muddy path or head to higher ground, via some helpful waystones. The higher path turns out to be a burial ground, and this angers the local Kragsmen. If you try to send Tryggvi out to parley with the Kragsmen they will kill him.

Egil

Recruited: Chapter Eight (new game) or must have survived The Banner Saga (imported save, and good luck with that)

Everyone's favourite whipping boy is back for another round. (Maybe.) Egil fills exactly the same role in The Banner Saga 2 as he did in The Banner Saga, and he's still pretty great at it. Egil's access to Stone Wall makes him the premier tank for your party, and his high Armor allows him to rebuff attacks like no one else. The fact that other units can conceivably do the same doesn't really change Egil's usefulness in tough fights, as he's still generally better at it. He also kinda stinks at doing damage most of the time, so, yeah, put him on the defensive.

Assuming you want to use Egil for his 'intended' purpose you'll want to pump his Armor to the top. This will allow Stone Wall to rebuff just about every attack that hits the guy. Stick Egil out front of everyone else, throw on an item that draws aggro, and watch him ignore damage from all sides. Egil's primary weakness as a tank is his lack of size, but there's little you can do about that.

It is not possible for Egil to die during The Banner Saga 2. Remarkably. Note that if you have Egil in your party you cannot have Ekkill, as Egil's survival in The Banner Saga hinges on not bringing Ekkill along. (Personality aside, Egil's the better character anyway.)

Eirik

Recruited: Chapter Eight (new game) or must have survived The Banner Saga (imported save, and good luck with that)

Something of a ho-hum character in The Banner Saga, Eirik has really come into his own in the sequel. Though his stats are nothing fabulous, his abilities more than make up for any combat-related shortcomings. Rally on its own is pretty solid as a support move, but Track more than makes Eirik a threat on the battlefield, allowing Eirik to not only stealthily take out targets, but block them from moving against your forces. Keep Eirik invisible and he can physically stonewall incoming enemies for as long as he likes.

Eirik's Call Bear ability is a bit of a special case. Rather than learning it normally, Eirik gains this ability if you decide to take the drier course through the mud in Chapter Ten. In the battle that follows Eirik will offer to capture a Bear, and if you use his Capture Bear ability when there's only a single Bear in battle he'll take it for his own. It's a fantastic ability, since you get another character in every battle involving Eirik.

Statistically Eirik can be just about anything you want him to be, since he doesn't excel at anything in particular, though boosting his Strength to the top is wise if you want to take advantage of Track. Items that boost either his Strength or his movement are also handy.

The first named character you ever got to use in combat in The Banner Saga, Gunnulf continues his Warhawkin' ways in the sequel. He's also just as good as ever, with a build meant to slaughter characters with low amounts of Armor in droves. Gunnulf's capped Strength is one of the best in the game, and is the best of the Warhawks, making him a great crowd-control killer.

Gunnulf has an impressive amount of Strength, but his Armor is flimsy. You can boost it to max and give him some Talents to make surviving battles easier, but it's probably smarter to just hand him an item that lowers his aggro and then provide a tank to distract enemies instead. Pumping Gunnulf's Willpower and Exertion will allow him to make the most of Tempest and quickly carve a path of death through your foes. He's not meant to Break Armor, for the most part, so don't even bother trying to improve him in that sense. Other varl just do it better.

The easy-going twin, Hogun is a solid, if somewhat unremarkable, unit. His stats are average, perhaps even a little on the low side, and Bloody Flail is not a predictable enough ability to be of great use. The high Exertion score can be useful, however, and Hogun makes decent backup for your varl with Shield Wall. He differs from his brother, Mogun, only in that he has one more point in Armor and one less point in Strength.

Hogun isn't great at doing lots of damage, and I highly recommend any moves or Talents that will net him bonus damage. Artery Strike makes a nice pairing with Bloody Flail in particular. He can also make a decent unit for whacking away at Armor if you max out Exertion and then hope for the best with Bloody Flail.

Though it's not possible for Hogun to die during The Banner Saga 2, it's still possible to lose him. During Chapter Ten a conversation with Hogun pops up in camp, and he's uncertain whether he should keep fighting or give it up for the sake of his family. If you tell him to be with his family Hogun will leave your party permanently, and you'll gain one Clansmen.

Nid

Recruited: Chapter Eight (new game) or must have been recruited during The Banner Saga (imported save)

Puncture (unit gains additional damage for target's missing Armor, so long as the unit does not move before attacking)

Rain of Arrows (rank 6, target a square on the map; any unit crossing through that square is damaged and stopped) or Slag and Burn (rank 6, creates five squares of ash and coals that damage any who cross)

Essentially 'that other archer', Nid has to work hard to stand out when compared to Alette, Oddleif, or even Yrsa, and I'm not certain she succeeds. Her stats are well-balanced, and she can hit a touch harder than Oddleif, but Nid suffers from having an ability that's almost as good - but not quite as good - as that of the other archers. Bird of Prey is pretty great when paired with Puncture, but just about every other archery ability is the slightest bit better by comparison. Nid basically suffers from joining a group that already has too many archers, and she probably would've stood out more if she'd joined the Ravens. Alas.

Nid's setup should be pretty much the same as Alette, Oddleif, or Yrsa: emphasize her hitting stats, pump up her Willpower and Exertion so she can charge her shots, and keep her well out of the fray. Items that deemphasize aggro are always appreciated. Nid can also shoot really far if you give her anything that will increase her attack range and couple it with Bird of Prey.

It is not possible for Nid to die during The Banner Saga 2.

Griss

Recruited: Chapter Eight (new game) or must have been recruited during The Banner Saga (imported save)

Return the Favor (enemies take one Armor damage for attacking the unit at melee range)

Perhaps the most balanced of the varl, Griss is remarkable in that he's not amazingly remarkable - and yet he's nevertheless pretty damned good. His stats are across the board good, with an excellent amount of Break damage, and both of his initial abilities are pretty solid. You can use Griss as attacker and tank and he'll get the job done either way. He's a great replacement for Iver when the more notable varl leaves the party in Chapter Twelve.

At the end of Chapter Eight, when facing the dredge near the waterfall, you have the opportunity to send Griss to spearhead an attack against them. If you do this Griss will not survive. You can also lose Griss if you decide to side against the varl in Chapter Fourteen, in which case you'll fight him in one of the final battles of the game.

Centaurs be awesome, yo. The first horseborn warrior you meet, Scathach quickly develops into a fantastic unit. He can move great distances, his Strength damage is pretty substantial, Trample is an awesome move, and Hit and Run is borderline broken as a passive ability. Aside from a lacklustre Armor score that can put a ding in his survivability, Scathach is awesome.

Scathach is pretty great at controlling the battlefield via Mule Kick, once you get it, though giving him an item to boost his Armor will help guard against inevitable hits. It's also wise to take advantage of his great Armor-busting capabilities by boosting Break to its maximum early on, and, if possible, supplementing that with an item that can give him even more Break damage. If you want to maximize Scathach's escape capabilities, something that boosts his movement will do quite nicely.

Trample (rank 6, inflicts Strength damage and moves through enemy tiles, inflicting more damage on the other end)

Thought Scathach was good? Then have another one. Ro'Ech is a more balanced version of Scathach, with one more point in Armor and one less in Strength. This doesn't change a whole lot about him, and the fact that you get Mule Kick earlier arguably makes him the better character. Everything that applies to Scathach more or less applies to Ro'Ech as well.

Derdriu

Free Roam (each point of Willpower used to move counts for two squares rather than one)

Pin (rank 6, reduces target's movement)

The ranged unit of the horseborn trio, Derdriu is a solid character, and one of the better ranged units in the game. Not only does she have a reasonable throwing range, she can also move further in a turn than just about any character when she's willing to expend some Willpower. She can zip all over the place. Pin will prevent units from reaching her easily, and Poison Tipped can chew up anything it manages to properly hit. Altogether a great roster of moves.

Derdriu is a bit better defensively than your Archers, but she's still somewhat frail, so items that reduce her aggro are recommended. I'd also suggest pumping her Willpower and giving her items that restore Willpower, as she'll probably use it up rather quickly while battling.

Canary

Free Roam (each point of Willpower used to move counts for two squares rather than one)

Pin (reduces target's movement)

Plus side? Canary starts off really strong, and has better base stats than Derdriu, your other Cantref. She's a beast with her Strength, and is one of the best ranged fighters as far as straight attacking goes. Minus side? You get her for a very small number of battles right at the end of the game. She'll be useful during these fights if you're hurting for personnel, but the chances are pretty good you'll have other units you prefer already. Shrug. I don't recommend wasting any Renown on developing her.

It is not possible for Canary to die during The Banner Saga 2.

Dagr

Recruited: Only available for a few battles

Class: Backbiter (I think)

Maximum Stats: 11 Armor, 9 Strength, 6 Willpower, 2 Exertion, 2 Break

Abilities:

Run Through (move through multiple tiles, inflicting Armor damage, then inflicts Strength damage when move ends)

Shield Wall (temporary +1 Armor bonus to self and ally when adjacent)

Silence epitomized, Dagr is Rugga's right-hand man, and the instrument of Dagr's will. He doesn't join your party properly, but will pop onto your team depending on your decisions. He's a capable Backbiter, and Run Through is a decent move, but compared to your team Dagr will probably be rather poor. He's valuable primarily because he gets added onto your existing party, giving you a small bump to your numbers.

Because Dagr's primary allegiance is to Rugga, his availability depends on whether Rugga likes you or not. If Rugga decides to betray you at the beginning of Chapter Fourteen you'll get into a fight with Dagr and a bunch of his cronies, and if you take them down you can capture - and execute - Dagr.

The lead character for much of the game, Bolverk is as furious in battle as he is in casual conversation. Bolverk's Frenzy ability allows him to attack twice per round, though with the major caveat that you cannot control the second hit. If there are any adjacent party members, there's a good chance he'll hit them too. Carefully-controlled, however, this move is remarkable. Cull the Weak is similarly awesome, though you need to go around weakening your targets first.

Though he smacks of a frontline fighter, Bolverk should not rush into most battles. He'll die pretty quickly. Keep him back until you've softened up the enemy lines, then send him in to quickly dispatch multiple enemies in a single go. Talents and items that increase his attack power while downplaying his aggro are recommended.

One of the better defensive characters in The Banner Saga 2, Folka is something of a staple in a group of predominantly offence-minded characters like the Ravens. She can hit quite hard, has the same range (two squares) as the other spear-wielders in your party, and works fantastically alongside square-hungry varl that might otherwise block you out. Champion is a great ability if you want to use Bolverk up front with less risk, though be warned that he will probably smack her around more than a few times.

Though Folka can become fairly strong, I recommend pumping points into her Armor and any defensive Talents. The Ravens have enough attackers as it is, and Shield Mastery translates well into a tanking ability.

Sparr

Skald's Song (grants +1 Willpower to all units if standing within one tile of a character delivering a killing blow)

Tale Worth Telling (rank 6, adds one damage for every two Strength a target is above the buffed unit)

Certainly not one of the more glamorous characters in the game, Sparr is nevertheless absolutely fantastic. Though he's not a slouch at delivering physical attacks Sparr's primary role is that of support, using Insult to delay any opponents you don't want to fight. There's no better way to manipulate the initiative. Skald's Song is similarly fantastic, and so long as you keep Sparr near your primary hitter (probably Bolverk) you'll seldom ever run out of Willpower. The big issue here is giving Sparr the kills he needs for Promotions; don't neglect the poor guy.

Sparr can fight, but he's not built to take much punishment. Keep him behind your other fighters much of the time and bolster his Willpower so he can consistently deliver his best moves and support your party.

It is not possible for Sparr to die during The Banner Saga 2. (Though I haven't 100% confirmed this one yet.)

Zefr

Runic Gale (creates runes on the ground that boost one of several possible stats)

Mend (restores an ally's Armor)

Breeze (rank 6, grants ally unlimited movement for a single turn)

One of the more important secondary characters in the game, not to mention the first Valka you can use in combat, Zefr is all about support. She's as frail as they come, and absolutely must be kept off the front lines. That said, Zefr is fantastic at supporting your party, and Runic Gale is a staple first-round move to lay behind your units to give them a big initial boost. She won't do much damage, but Zefr is a great character nevertheless.

Boosting Zefr's Willpower should be your first priority, since she'll burn through it like crazy in any given battle. Beyond that your stat allocations should be to Armor, just to keep her healthy, and Exertion. Items that lower her aggro are highly recommended, since Zefr can only take one, maybe two hits before she goes down. Trying to make her into a melee character is unwise.

Considering he just kinda shows up one day, Oli is a fantastic character. He is, like Rook, one of very few characters who can use both melee and ranged attacks, and though his range isn't naturally as good as an Archer Oli makes up for it with decent hitting power. He's also much better-armoured than your average ranged character, and can sit on the front lines without much worry.

Increasing Oli's attack range is a great idea, if you happen to find any such items on your travels. Emphasizing his Armor can help, but I find boosting his Strength and then wedging him behind other, beefier party members - such as Folka - a wiser proposition. Artery Strike is amazing on Oli if you can get Axe Storm to land more than once, and get lucky at the same time.

A random, seemingly nutty man (what is it about dudes with spears?), Bak is nonetheless an excellent party member for the Ravens. His stats don't allow him to survive very well on the front lines, but if you get Bak into a crowd with multiple other Ravens (Folka is a good choice for this) his Pig Sticker ability allows him to demolish the competition. The extra range of his spear is a nice touch, as well, since you can stick someone in front of Bak and protect him from harm. Embolden is a fringe benefit by comparison, but gives just another reason to keep Bak wedged tightly into groups.

Bak preferably won't be getting hit too often, so I recommend boosting primarily his Strength and his Exertion, with a touch of Willpower. Equip items that will further boost his critical hit chance and Pig Sticker can quickly murder just about anything.

Bak will die if you turn down his request to join the Ravens, as he and a group of people will attack your caravan. He doesn't survive the attack.

Despite showing up to the party both a little late and a little randomly, Dytch is awesome. His stats make him look entirely underwhelming, except perhaps that juicy Break stat, but his Track ability more than makes up for statistical shortcomings. Dytch can use Track to disappear, similar to Skulkers, and move about the battlefield undetected. His next hit will then ignore Armor. Not only is this punishing to high-Armor shield wall units, Track also allows you to effectively waste the turns of units that try to move through Dytch, as they will bump into him and stop immediately.

Given Dytch's poor stats, you'll want to give him something that will boost his Strength and allow him to hit harder when using Track. I also recommend boosting his movement range, if you can, since Dytch can slip through enemy lines and get at enemies hiding in the back rows without getting harassed along the way. Dytch is also good at smashing through Armor via that Break score, but it's not his best use by far.

Egil if he was all grown up, and... not as good. Gudmundr is one of few defensive units granted to the Ravens, and Stone Wall in and of itself makes him pretty valuable during some of Chapter Eleven's hairier fights. Stick him up front, activate Stone Wall, and let him absorb the hits while everyone else fights from afar. He makes a good pair with Folka.

Gudmundr is okay at hitting, but his primary role in most parties is to absorb damage. Pump up his Armor and his Exertion so he can make the most of Stone Wall, and give him items that will aggro enemies and draw them away from your more vulnerable units.

Early in Chapter Eleven Gudmundr will stay behind to seal up the mine entrance as the caravan descends into the darkness. If you don't return to help Gudmundr he and his men will die.

The more violent of the twins, Mogun is virtually identical to Hogun, save for one less point in Armor and one more in Strength. More or less all advice that applies to Hogun can also apply to Mogun. He's a decent fighter for the Ravens, but Mogun tends to get outclassed by the other axe-wielders, particularly Oli. Still, if you've been levelling him...

Early on in Chapter Nine Mogun will try to get at the huge crate the Ravens are carting around. If you warn him off with a death threat (and then don't decide to 'make an example' of him), or concede and try to open the crate, Mogun will survive the encounter. Otherwise you'll get into a battle, and when you win Mogun will be battered and bloody. You can then execute him or spare him.

What a beast. A standout among even other varl, Krumr is built to inflict ridiculous amounts of damage to single enemies with his default build, and can take a comparable amount of damage besides, allowing him to survive ably on the front lines. He also has an interesting support power in Forge Ahead, allowing you to shove characters up the initiative scale. Altogether a great character.

Upgrading Krumr depends on the role you want him to take, though I recommend boosting his Strength to take advantage of that high cap number. He can do some serious damage if you give him Sundering Impact to mash multiple enemies. Upping Break, too, is a good choice, as there aren't many characters capable of doing four base Break damage.

I'm still not 100% certain, but it seems as though Krumr cannot die in The Banner Saga 2, though he will leave your party a few times if given the chance.

The Gunnulf of the Ravens, basically. Sigbjorn is all about inflicting heavy amounts of Strength damage to tightly-knit clusters, and is fantastic against anything with low Armor scores. Send him against most humans and Sigbjorn's Tempest will rip them apart. Anything with Armor, though... not so great.

Sigbjorn is not made to destroy Armor, and I don't recommend you even try. Pump his Strength first and foremost, and boost his Exertion so Tempest can rip through a maximum number of opponents in a single go. Lowering Sigbjorn's aggro is probably a good idea, since, like Gunnulf, he is not that great at taking hits. Forge Ahead is a good secondary ability for Sigbjorn, allowing the varl to manipulate the flow of combat until he can get in and thrash it out personally.

Sigbjorn can die at the beginning of Chapter Thirteen. Speak to him in camp and he'll get moody about the Ravens' chances. Challenge him on what he's saying and you can get into a fight with him; choose the middle option (wrap him up and slam him on the ground) and Bolverk will kill Sigbjorn.

Ekkill

Recruited: Must have survived The Banner Saga - Egil cannot be in your party if this is the case

Ekkill is something of an iffy character. Guts is a fantastic move if you can position him properly, and Ekkill has decent stats to back it up, but... well, you need to sacrifice Egil to get him, and Egil is a great party member. There are also some comparable fighters already in the Ravens, so you may want to give Ekkill a pass unless you like his personality. Which, honestly, I do. (If you're starting a new game Ekkill will not be around, so don't worry about this conundrum too much.)

Considering he's a shieldbearing, up-front-and-centre unit Ekkill doesn't have amazing Strength, and you'll want to boost his Armor early to compensate for this. Break is a good choice for boosting, particularly if you have some items to back it up. If the Strength damage is a bit low, pump lots into Ekkill's Willpower (just look at that cap!) and make every move especially powerful. This is particularly good if you use Guts to break up clusters of enemies via knockback, and want to maximize the amount of distance they travel.

During Chapter Thirteen Ekkill will run off to take on a group of dredge. If you don't back him up he will never return. (I haven't fully explored this scenario yet, mind.)

I haven't used him that much, but so far as I can tell Bersi is a straight clone of Sigbjorn, stats and all. He merely lacks Sigbjorn's sterling personality... or, uh, any personality at all, to be honest. All the positives and negatives that apply to Sigbjorn also apply here. I'd still rank him below Sigbjorn because the red-clad giant joins in The Banner Saga at rank five, while Bersi (assuming you haven't levelled him) joins in The Banner Saga 2 at rank three. Kind of a boring character.

It is not possible for Bersi to die in The Banner Saga 2.

Nikels

Recruited: Chapter Eleven

Class: Mender

Maximum Stats: 9 Armor, 9 strength, 14 Willpower, 3 Exertion, 2 Break

Abilities:

Mend (optional, restores an ally's Armor)

An up-and-coming Mender with enthusiasm and a heart of gold, Nikels is the Ravens' version of Eyvind... only worse. He only has Mend to start, and his stats, though granting him a touch more survivability, are just not as good. Couple this with the fact that Nikels isn't available for long (half a chapter, roughly) and sticking him in your party is kind of a fool's errand. Just... don't bother.

Nikels will leave your party during Chapter Eleven whether you want him to or not.

Fasolt has seen better days, but he's just as good now as he was in The Banner Saga. Fasolt's primary role is to attract enemies both weak and strong, and his Malice ability is great at drawing aggro away from your weaker units. He's a relatively capable melee fighter, as well, though your main goal with Fasolt should be freeing up your main attackers from abuse.

Fasolt starts out with a nice, healthy amount of Armor, and boosting him to the tops from the start will save you some abuse during his short stint in Chapter Thirteen. Items that draw aggro can also be quite useful. Fasolt isn't in your team for long, though, so I wouldn't recommend using him much unless you're absolutely starved for a tank.

I for myself never do that, since setting archer traps almost always weakens most enemies enought to attack their strength directly (Pig Sticker, Impale, Bird of Prey etc.)

Regarding Egil: I found giving him the "Guts"-Ability beastly. Add Artery strike and tighten Straps and the Godscale so you can go into the open field, Use Stone Wall, drawing enemies to him who can't harm him. Then using Guts to deal massive damage two or three to them which is further boosted by traps behind the enemies or via Alette's Overwatch. Then sid down back on Stone Wall to draw them again and regain lost armor.

Alette level 3 overwatch with an object that inflict knockdown on strengh attack of 3 or more is not just strong it is broken. With two varl with forge ahead and a +1 will per turn object you can prevent her from ever taking a turn and watch as the enemies get slowly grinded to death.

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